Miami Pipeline to the Ocean – A little too close to shore? (2 August 2017, Miami Herald)

The authorized path for the sewage is to pipe it 3.5 miles offshore to a location 100 feet deep.  However, damage to the pipe caused the dumping to be only 1 mile out and 17 feet deep. LINK

My Questions:

• Is there an environmental impact study that says the water will be OK to the atlantic ocean?
• Does this count as a spill under the new 2017 “Public Notice of Pollution Act”?
• Is this secondary or tertiary treated water?  Domestic Wastewater Process.

The county might get sued by an organization called “Miami WaterKeeper” if they knew about if for more than a year.   Their web page is much better than mine: Miami WaterKeeper

300,000 Gallons, Jacksonville, Reported 1 August 2017 (First Coast News)  LINK

Takeaways: Don’t swim in it, it has happened before (>1M gallons due to Matthew in 2016), it can cause toxic algae growth.  They are conducting a review, but the spill was due to heavy rain (not lack of power).